The Nara Clan Massacre
by Kheshin
Summary: Officially, progress is being made towards finding a peaceful solution between all parties involved. Unofficially, the council has tired of waiting and has already planned an alternative method. The Hokage has run out of time, and dares not interfere for risk of civil war. The order is clear, slaughter any and all members of the Nara Clan.
1. Prologue

_For the eyes of Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage_

_Lord Hokage,_

_The purpose of this dispatch is to inform you of the status of the current political situation regarding the Nara clan. The council has won over many shinobi against the clan, despite the optimism of the clan's leader and yourself in regards to negotiations, the council is getting impatient, especially at the insistence of Danzo. My observations and those of my counterparts in Anbu confirm my beliefs; the day we have hoped to avoid seems to be coming soon. _

_To that end, I have been searching for those shinobi that might lend their support for you were you to try to convince the council to wait. __The shinobi I have encountered may have the skill, but I fear that in this diplomatic battle they would not have the position or experience to change the council's mind._ It has been difficult, not that there has been a shortage of volunteers, but most will be split in their loyalties were the council decide to ignore any arguement and thus serious reliance upon many of them would not be advised.  


_That is not to say I haven't had some success; I have managed to obtain two powerful men to bolster our numbers, I would imagine their names would not come as much of a surprise for they are Akimichi Chouza and Yamanaka Inoichi. it is evident that they along with their clans would support us,though no doubt the pact between these clans would cause the council to question their motives. The hard truth is that the majority of the shinobi ranks trust both council and the Hokage, if you were to go against the council many would be split in their loyalties._

_Per your orders Hatake Kakashi will journey to the Nara clan lands and test the waters and if needed, has your authority to do what he deems fit to bring this situation through with the least bloodshed possible. I doubt that Nara Shikaku welcomes the idea of bloodshed, but if necessary, I do not doubt that he has a plan, the clan's intelligence is more powerful than even their shadow jutsu. _

_Most importantly however, is the fact that time is working against us, I fear Danzo and the council is already mobilizing their forces and alarmingly the Uchiha seem to be involved, but with their intense suspicion of me I cannot ascertain more. It is the official suggestion of the Anbu division that if the council decided to eliminate the Nara clan we would have to allow it or risk open civil war._

_I will write again once I have discovered any new information regarding the situation. If nothing comes of it, I will attend to the more immediate matter of dealing with the consequences of this all. We can only hope that we have enough time to hold back this storm._

_Uchiha Itachi, ANBU Captain, Shinobi of Konoha._

* * *

_**Make us enemies of every people on earth, but prevent a civil war.**_

Prologue

Nara Shikamaru walked through the forest of the clan, having spent much of the morning watching the clouds and time float by in the great forests in his family's estates. Indeed, the clothes he wore held a number of grass stains, destined for cleaning at the hands of his mother, no doubt along with a lot of annoyance directed at him. His parents might gripe that he was wasting his life, strolling after deers in the woods, spending every hour he had on the fields with his eyes trained toward the sky, instead of trying to learn the duties the son of Nara Shikaku, one of the most important men in Konoha was supposed to attend to, but Shikamaru couldn't help it. He was born with an easygoing personality in his soul and the love of clouds in his blood.

When his old man, Shikaku, had tried to get him to understand the complicated intricacies of politics and the strengths and allegiances of the various clans, Shikamaru had instead daydreamed of himself wandering though open fields or lying down next to rivers, feeling the ground underneath him, or simply sleeping with only his hands as cushions. Instead of paying attention to his mother regarding how to act and behave in the proper manner of a clan heir, he'd preferred to doze off, although that usually ended with him having to hear an annoying speech from her regarding manners.

Nowadays, however, the problems he had to evade were the outraged instructors of Konoha when he fell asleep, didn't turn in work, or when he was feeling particularly productive, just lazily do any work assigned to him. Fortunately, two things had saved Shikamaru from any real trouble; his surprising intellectual ability to at least do the bare minimum without any effort on his part, as well as the fact that the resident class clown Uzumaki Naruto usually made the teachers, especially Iruka-sensei divert their attention to him constantly, leaving Shikamaru happily napping in the back of the classroom, usually with Choji gleefully eating a bag of chips next to him.

Shikamaru walked through the clan compounds, up to the house that rested almost at the center of the clan holdings, if one were to look at it, no one would guess the family of the clan head resided in it. The clan members usually greeted him with a short "Morn'in Shikamaru" as he walked past and he would return the greeting, even though it was sometimes troublesome to be in a clan it was as a whole very laid back. It seemed to be a rule that if one did not have a lazy personality they could not call themselves a Nara he thought to himself.

There were definitely worse clans to be a member of, although he knew the Hyuga were allies and should be respected he would shudder at the thought of ever being their member, their stiff way of life was in no way attractive to him. As far as he could see the only Hyuga he knew that seemed different was a classmate of his called Hinata, and it was obvious to whoever knew her that her own clan was a big weight on her shoulders.

As he got closer to the house, he could see the clan training grounds where long lines of clansmen were either assembling, or already carrying out combat exercises. '_Looks like dad wasn't joking about tough times coming ahead_' Shikamaru mused. He'd heard talk of some disagreement between the clan and the leaders of Konoha, but he couldn't remember exactly what. '_Probably just some new political argument, the council seemed to love stirring up trouble'_.

All Shikamaru knew was that the usually relaxed Nara were getting worked up about something and it was not taxes.

As Shikamaru walked past a column of clansmen, heading towards his home, he caught sight of something not usually seen in these parts, a group of men bearing the symbol of the Uchiha on them. Shikamaru swore under his breath. While the Uchiha were not exactly on Hyuga levels of stiffness they were pretty close, he would have much preferred a visit from the Akimichi or even the Yamanaka.

As he neared his house, a member of a group that was apparently guarding his house came over and led him in. "Welcome home. A good day doing nothing, I take it?". Most people would view that remark as some sort of insult, but among the clan a day of just nothing but relaxation was something to always strive for.

"Yea, it was. It's good to see you again Atsutane. Mind telling me why the Uchiha are here, of all places?"

"Fugaku Uchiha is here, at the council's request. Apparently, he is part of the ongoing negotiations between your father and the council. That's what I'm here to see you about. Your father has asked I inform you to go to the main compound; he wishes to speak to you."

"About what?"

"Don't exactly know. Your father simply asked for you to be told."

"Thanks. I'll head there."

After raising his hand in goodbye Shikamaru headed straight through the double doors at the end, leading to the main hall of the clan's public building where many would congregate to pass the time, the simple chambers hung with clan symbols and paintings illuminating the history of the family; a copy of the pact between themselves, the Yamanaka and the Akimichi, a painting of their descendents clad in the bulky armor of the past, a document written by the founders of the clan, all examples of the history of a close family he was secretly proud to be a part of, and one that his father told Shikamaru he would have to one day lead, although Shikamaru hoped that wouldn't happen for a good number of years.

He could see four men stood before a roaring fire at the fire end of the hall. Two men were clad in the clothing of the military police force, flanking a man with similar clothing that reminded him slightly of one of his classmates Sasuke 'Wasn't his father the head of the clan?' If his guess was right Fugaku himself was in front of him, the head of the Uchiha and Military Police, a force with standing only below the Anbu and a mind to actually make use of their sway in things other than the military force in Konoha; "I expect the rest will be arriving in some time, and we can speak tomorrow. I apologize for the inconvenience but I hope all of this this eventually leads to an understanding between us".

"No, no, the current state of affairs has us all scrambling, doesn't it? I only received the notice from the council about a peace delegation some time ago myself" he heard a familiar voice answer Fugaku's. He was glad for anything to keep the Uchiha from paying any serious attention to himself. Shikamaru would never understand how his normally mellow father had managed to cultivate his skills for what he considered troublesome politics or even grand strategy. With friends and clan he was the epitome of an easygoing man but when he had to become a leader his personality became a serious one. He assumed the needs of the clan during the last shinobi war had forged him into a man Shikamaru might never fully understand. The men in front of him were heroes in the last war, they might have even fought side by side for survival but now, suspicions were at an all time high and tensions were not far behind.

At that moment, his father looked up and saw him. Many people said Shikamaru was his father's son; he'd inherited his father's face, body and even hairstyle. The joke running around him as he grew was that in fact he was Shikaku's little brother or a clone through some scientific process, him seemingly being a carbon copy of Shikaku. Shikamaru had great respect for his father, for Nara Shikaku had been the standard of a shinobi that he knew he had to be: a tactician on the battlefield, a peacemaker in the clan councils, and a father who would nudge his son in a direction and then let the son do as he would want, and from time to time correct his ways if he saw something go wrong.

His thoughts were broken as his father's voice brought him back to reality. "I didn't see you there" Shikaku looked around from the discussion with a small nod as a greeting, running his hand through his goatee. He turned to his visitor "Fugaku, you remember my son?"

Uchiha Fugaku looked over at him; though a warm smile was plastered on his mouth, Shikamaru could see it didn't reach his eyes, which seemed to be coldly scrutinizing him_._ Fugaku and his father were the same height, with black hair and a tired complexion, but while his father's personality was usually easygoing, and very understanding the few times Shikamaru talked to him about his problems. Fugaku's personality seemed to be that of a stern and uncompromising man, he felt a small pang of sympathy for Sasuke in that moment. Whatever thoughts were going through his mind, his mouth opened with a certain smoothness. "I see he will grow to be a great shinobi. Pleased to see you again, lad".

Though in truth Shikamaru wanted nothing more than to turn around and walk outside the room, he knew enough about etiquette to know such an action would be ill befitting of a clan heir. Instead, he plastered an equally false smile on his face, clicked his heels and gave a full bow. "And you, Fugaku".

"My son, Sasuke, should be in the same class as you if I remember correctly. I hope the two of you are getting along well enough."

Shikamaru nodded towards him as Fugaku took his leave of the place after bidding farewell. Of all the classmates he'd gotten to know,it seemed Sasuke was a decent enough person who definitely didn't take up his father's personality although personally he saw his enthusiasm for training to be slightly off putting for any real friendship.

Shikaku turned to his younger son "At any rate, I summoned you here for a reason. While I am busy with the present situation , I'm leaving you in charge of the clan".

"Wha-! What are you talking about?" Shikamaru blurted out. Shikaku smirked softly, it wasn't often that his son sported an expression other than indifference, and answered "I'm sure you'll more than prove yourself, after all the clan advisers will be with you all this time, and no doubt your mother won't let you burn this place to the ground. After all, what do you think I've been training you all this time for?"

Shikamaru's plans of later perhaps going back to the green fields evaporated immediately. In its place came a terrifying image of himself sitting in the clan hall, listening to endless complaints, pleas and petitions for his time, aid and money from the people of his clan. It was the duty expected of him, he knew, and deep down he knew that the truth was that it wasn't as bad as he painted it out to be but he still felt he'd sooner take his chances with his own mother when she was mad at him than to actually have to do real troublesome work.

It was true that they had been recently taking training very seriously. Before his parents were content with him training at his own pace as long as he at least kept up with the minimums of the academy standards. Now he was drilled almost daily by his father with emphasis on their clan jutsu and mind problems. There was no doubt that this was all caused by the current state of affairs, it was obvious enough his father was trying to prepare for any situation that might arise, Shikamaru just never believed it would go so far. He nodded and reluctantly accepted the responsibility.

"This is no needless task. I ask you to assume a great responsibility. The clan advisers will be able to take care of the majority of things for you and they will generally be the ones to ensure peace is maintained in the clan. I will still expect you to oversee all that happens as what they decide will be done in your name, this will be a good experience for you so don't slack off, I have informed them and most importantly your mother of this, along with informing you of their decisions they will be teaching you the ways of leadership." Shikamaru nodded morosely, trying not to think of the endless reams of politics he would spend the next few weeks, if not months, drowning in. The way his father put it Shikamaru would be basically nothing more than a rubber stamp with eyes that were suppose to learn what was happening around him, and he had no problem with that, but most likely he would have to do more work.

His father smirked at his son's discomfort and smiled. "Don't worry I felt the same way you did when your grandfather did this to me, and I turned out mostly alright". He nodded to one of the guardsmen standing to attention to one side of the hall. "Please, show Kakashi in".

The guard returned a moment later through a side door, leading an intriguing man Shikamaru had ever seen in. His looks were mostly covered by a mask, although that couldn't hide his distinctive white hair. The man was wearing the standard jonin outfit of Konoha. This was interesting by itself, as he was sure the person who stood before him was not just any Kakashi, but the son of the famous White Fang of Konoha the Copy Ninja Kakashi. Judging from the posture of his body he could see that this man would blend in flawlessly with their clan if it wasn't for his hair.

His morose thoughts were replaced by intrigue and curiosity to be in his presence, a man who'd no doubt fought countless battles against foreign shinobi to protect Konoha, but was seemingly hiding from being discovered by the Uchiha. Shikamaru again bowed and the man named Kakashi gave a soft smile and nodded in acknowledgment.

"We rarely have the pleasure of seeing so experienced a shinobi up close. Shikamaru, the academy has taught you who the elite jonin are, yes?"

"They're a group of the most skilled shinobi in the regular ranks." Shikamaru replied. "They are the those who are skilled enough to be in the Anbu but choose not to". Shikaku seemingly content with the answer, responded. " That is the way of it. Kakashi is here on behalf of the Hokage to seek peace." Shikamaru nodded, the Third Hokage had always seemed to him a kind old man who did his best for the village.

With that Shikaku turned to his visitor, "Whatever the Hokage's reasons, I'll take his support. We need all the help we can get with the council". Kakashi nodded, "Yes, we received information that the Uchiha would be involved but we couldn't discover to what extent, that is my reason for coming, though I must admit, this move from the council has left us perplexed". At this, his father turned to him again and gave him a new instruction; to find his mother and get ready for the days ahead. The soft, but firm tone in Shikaku's voice made it clear it was no request. Sensing the conversation no longer had any part for him, Shikamaru bowed respectfully to his father and Kakashi. He exited the room by a side door and headed towards his home. When he entered the house he could already sense that his mother wanted to talk to him.

Shikamaru at once groaned. "We aren't really going to start today are we?"

"Everyone around us may is working hard Shikamaru, and I did not go through all the pains of labor just to have you answer sarcastically with everything that is happening."

And so Shikamaru was made to go through an entire speech of how he was not suppose to yawn, sigh, or daydream when meeting with the advisers. He had made a momentary lapse of judgment by saying troublesome in the middle of her speech which ended with him being forced to go through another lecture about being careful with one's words. When his mother noticed his lack of attention she used her tone of voice that told him she wasn't just complaining but was absolutely serious.

"Shikamaru, we are going through a serious chapter in this clan's history and you must be aware of what is happening, there will be consequences because of all this bickering, the only question is how much and for whom."

At these words Shikamaru knew that he no longer had the option of paying minimum attention and although it would be hard-work, if his mother was this adamant then it would be best to heed her words.

When Yoshino saw the realization dawn on her son's face she was both relieved and saddened. As much as she loved her son and knew her husband had been training him diligently she knew he would not be ready if any of the heavier consequences happened. She wished she could protect him from everything that was happening as a loving mother would, but the shinobi in her knew this was impossible, and so she prepared him to the best of her abilities, knowing full well that it probably wouldn't be enough.

As Shikamaru listened to the rest of his mother's instructions he couldn't help but notice a sadness in her eyes. He knew something big was happening but he just did not know what, which meant that even though he knew everything he would now be taught would be important a small part of his mind still dreamed of clouds, open fields and lazy days.

Shikamaru did not know that soon his dreams would soon be replaced with thoughts of uselessness, betrayal, and revenge.

* * *

Shikamaru heard a scream followed by deep breaths and wet crunching noises, which barely registered as the world receded as if he were watching everything from a distance and found it mildly fascinating. He found himself observing the way Atsutane's blood made a red mirror reflecting the moon and the figures in it.

It was the silhouette reflected in blood raising a sword to strike Atsutane that snapped him out of his thoughts and brought him back to attention. His training took over his body and he formed his clan's trademark jutsu causing the would be attacker to freeze like a statue allowing Atsutane to promptly stab him with his own kunai. Shikamaru felt the warmth of the blood from the man soak the cloth of his sleeve.

Shikamaru tried to recover from his shock, watching the man fall towards his fallen fellow, a man that had been seemingly cut down earlier, who lay on the floor as he made gurgling sounds that emanated from his slit throat. Shikamaru could only look at the dying man before him, willing him to speak again, to tell him what to do, should he be glad the man before him was slowly losing his essence of life? Cold dread formed in his middle and slowly crept its way up his spine, and he understood with a silent scream of denial that the man was dead.

For seconds suspended in eternity, he couldn't move even enough to draw a breath. Astutane's ordering rang in his ears but he couldn't think—dazedly wondered what that _noise_ was and wished it would stop. A scream outside his window startled him out of his staring. He cast one last despairing look at the cold eyes of the dead man, ordering him to say anything, but there was no response, and the ghosts of long lectures crowded the room and prompted him to action when his willpower couldn't do it. _Your duty is to protect the people of your clan._

"We need to get out of here Shikamaru!" Atsutane called to Shikamaru who was staring wide eyed at the corpses. He walked over to the other prone man. His face and arms were covered by a pool of blood, his facial features hardly recognizable through the liquid but there was no mistaking the Uchiha symbol on his clothes. He was still breathing. Shikamaru took a moment to look down at the man who had put a sword through Anzai's heart, a chunin that died long after that idea could ever enter his head before being practically screamed at by Atsutane to get his senses back to normal.

He stood for a moment, more warm blood pooling around his bare feet. A wave of nausea hit him, but he swallowed it down. He turned to Atsutane, who was directing him out of the room.

Shikamaru ran toward his belongings to grab the the supplies his father had told him all shinobi should keep at the ready. He readied himself as best he could and by the time he placed his weapons into their locations Atsutane was already forcibly dragging his body out of the room.

As he followed Atsutane he studiously avoided looking at the bodies of both Uchiha and Nara around his once peaceful home.

As he heard the screams and sounds of destruction even from inside his home he wiped away the scared tears that he had not realized had fallen, then he deliberately shut off any feelings. He cleared his mind, especially of that part of himself that wanted to run screaming from the place. The part of himself that wanted nothing more than to run toward wherever his parents could be and weep and gnash his teeth was only stopped by the cold logic that he knew he would be killed if he did that. His only hope rested in the chances that a lone Jonin who was already heavily injured and an academy student had to get out of this alive.

He looked at the parts of his clothes sticky with blood from being beside him and tried to wipe it off but it only got dirtier. Shikamaru glanced towards the door leading out to the guestrooms and then swung his gaze toward his parents' bedroom, his mother might be there but he knew his father had planned to have a meeting with Fugaku which presented another host of problems. He saw two men preparing to enter the room, as they moved toward the entrance to the bedchamber.

They were silent and communicating in a whispering manner. Shikamaru could only imagine his mother being scared and confused in that room with two intruders planning to break in even though he knew that would be ridiculous. His mother had been a chunin before he had come to this world and she was probably better prepared than himself at this point. Atsutane gave Shikamaru the hand signal for "ready jutsu" as he crept around the bedroom door and used his stealth to walk the length of the hallway. When they both got close enough to faintly hear the words coming from the men at the doorway, Atsutane gave Shikamaru the signal to proceed. Shikamaru watched as his shadow captured both men and held them in place,he wouldn't be able to hold it for long but it would not be necessary. Atsutane promptly used his kunai to slice the necks of the two men. Shikamaru could feel his nausea coming back but he pushed it away from his mind and turned his thoughts toward his mother.

Shikamaru pounded on his mother's door and whispered urgently for her. The door opened and his mother's strong hand pulled him inside the room before shutting the door again once Atsutane had entered. "I heard fighting outside. Are you hurt?" Yoshino spun Shikamaru around carefully looking under the blood splatter for any wounds to see if any of the blood was Shikamaru's before looking at Atsutane's wounded form and tending to him.

"Those men, they're killing everyone." Shikamaru felt a catch in his throat and his voice sounded hollow to his own ears.

"What? Then those were the screams that woke me up, so I barred the door. Did you see their emblems? They are Fugaku's men! That traitorous, snaking bastard!" Shikamaru watched as his mother clenched and unclenched her fists. "I never trusted or liked that man!"

"He betrayed us! He attacks while his men rested under our roofs!" Shikamaru slapped the flat of his hand against the wood of the door hard enough to make his palm sting.

Yoshino continued to treat Atsutane only to stop suddenly and turn to Shikamaru, "Have you seen your father? He never came back."

What little mirth to be reunited with his mother that had been bubbling up died as quickly as it started, and he felt cold, "Maybe he stayed up with Fugaku."

"We must find him." His mother gripped his arm so tightly, Shikamaru was sure he would have bruises."Without his leadership the Nara have no chance of survival".

At this Atsutane started to move of his own accord. "That is the cold hard truth, but I have no doubt that your husband is already doing just that, what we need to do is get to safety, the protection of the clan heir must be secured."

Shikamaru grasped the handle to the door and looked back at his mother. A thought hit him with the physical force of a fist to the stomach."Mother we need to check on Father, we can't just run away." He tried to keep his voice calm, but his heart was squeezing painfully in his chest, and his breath didn't want to leave his lungs, they couldn't possibly be thinking of leaving without his father.

"What if they went to your Father's first? What if he is dead?" At this Yoshino's face paled but she continued, "If that happens you must be safe, no one can harm you or the clan will truly fall into despair."

Shikamaru felt useless, he would not abandon his father without knowing what happened to him. "You know that isn't true! Dad wouldn't die so easily and if the Uchiha planned this then all the exits we can think of were already taken into account, the only person who can plan an escape out of this is father!"

At this Atsutane nodded, and with his support Yoshino reluctantly agreed. "I'll go ahead, follow me but stay out of sight, if anything happens the two of you must escape, that is the whole purpose of what we are doing." With that he opened the door and gave both of them the hand signal to follow. He checked the hallway, scanning it for any shinobi. Seeing none, he signaled the all clear and they both started to follow behind him.

Shikamaru stopped at the doorway that lead to the outside world, his mind not wanting to admit to what it saw. His vision swam into gray and then came back into horrifyingly clear focus. The strength he had when arguing to find his father vanished when he saw the battlefield that was outside of his home. The entire compound seemed to be set ablaze with fiery explosions providing ample light to contrast with the dark sky.

Among some of the bodies on the ground there was one dead Uchiha shinobi lying on the ground, a small, unique, sharp, wicked little kunai made for an academy student sticking out from his eye socket. The dagger Shikamaru had given to a friend in class as a birthday gift, so long ago. A lifetime ago.

The girl had gotten hurt badly in trying to defend herself. From the positions of the bodies, she had been trying to shield the other children. They lay together, the girl's arms across a little unmoving chest. The blood pooled beneath them, so much damn blood! The Nara clan compound was turning into a lake of it.

This time when the nausea welled up he couldn't stop it, and Shikamaru turned to the outside of the door and retched. When he turned back it was to see his mother with concerned eyes but a hardened face.

Her mother's green eyes bore into Shikamaru's, "We need to get out of here Shikamaru, this cannot happen to you, understood?"

Shikamaru felt tears welling up, but he swallowed them down and buried them. "Yes, mom."

His mother looked at him, grasping his arm in a gesture of comfort. Then the group of three could hear sounds of a fight occurring between a large group of Uchiha and a handful of Nara. Shikamaru looked closely and recognized may of the faces of those outnumbered but none of them were his father.

Shikamaru started to take out his kunai to help but was stopped by his mother "We can't kill them all."

For a moment all he had in his mind was confusion,there were clansmen that needed help and they wouldn't offer their support? When the logic of not getting involved in a fight that was obviously already lost surfaced he felt sick with the idea of leaving them to their deaths, but it was true, an injured jonin, a retired chunin and an academy student would not be able to change the outcome at all.

He nodded to his mother once and started looking toward Atsutane who had been examining him and with that nod continued to move toward his last know location of Shikaku. As they moved on he tried to block the sounds of the fight that they had abandoned before even entering it.

Shikamaru was beginning to worry about the injuries that the jonin had sustained protecting him, although his mother had done what she could it was obviously having an effect on the jonin.

Atsutane stopped them again at a junction between the corridor leading to where they had come from and an atrium. Seeing that it was clear, he motioned him and his mother forward. They had almost reached the bottom of the ramp leading past the atrium when one of their clansmen came running up. His dark hair was slick with sweat, and his face a mask of fear. He held a sword in his hands with a death grip. Shikamaru recognized him as a newly promoted chunin, his name was Koin, if he was remembering correctly. "They're storming the the compound entrance, I'm getting out of here!" His voice was panicked, and he started to turn to run.

Atsutane grabbed him by the arm, "Think, man! If you come across the Uchiha, they will kill you! Stay with us. We need every man we can get to escort the clan heir." Koin looked at Shikamaru, seeing he was covered in blood.

The panicked look in Koin's eyes lessened but did not leave, "I'm sorry, forgive my frenzied state. I'll help as much as I can."

Koin nodded and started to walk down the ramp ahead of him. He checked the corner and reported, "The Uchiha who were following are here." Atsutane had only a second to pull the man back in the corridor as a kunai flew past and ricocheted off the stone wall where Koin had stood. "Thank you, sir." He gave the jonin a nervous smile.

They all readied to enter battle with the men around the corner which were a handful according to Koin, the fight behind them with the outnumbered Nara was most likely over and if they headed that way they would be found by a large group of no longer distracted Uchiha, chances were better in trying to fight the group here than trying to backtrack. Since he was deemed too valuable to put in direct danger Shikamaru would support from a distance with his shadow jutsu while the remaining three would fight in close quarters. The Uchiha were taken by surprised expecting to only find a single strangler.

With that surprise the two men in front were cut down by the clansmen as soon as the fight started. Atsutane began to fight with who seemed to be the leader of the group while Koin and his mother fought another Uchiha who had managed to avoid the first attacks. That left one Uchiha who was readying a jutsu and although he didn't know what it was he knew it was a bad idea to let him finish it.

With that he activated his jutsu and kept the man still,it took all he had just to keep the man from moving. The injuries Atsutane had sustained were becoming more evident as he slowly began losing to his opponent and was rescued by the remaining two of their group when they had dealt with their own opponent. The leader might have been able to hold out against two of them but three at the same time was too much, soon his defense fell and he was left on the floor, blood spreading out from his body.

With his teammates dead all it took was a slice to the neck and the man Shikamaru had been holding was eliminated. With the danger gone they regrouped, Shikamaru knew that no time soon would he be able to rest but right now he felt he couldn't even extend his shadow double its natural length.

Soon they came to an intersection that was blocked by flaming debris. In the light of the fire, Shikamaru could see Nara and Uchiha clansmen fighting each other. With no other choice the group joined the fray with Shikamaru forced to fight with a kunai for lack of chakra. It was here that instead of helping to kill someone with his shadow he had actually killed someone by himself.

Shikamaru had always though he would feel something on his first kill and he did,when he looked into the eyes of the man he had stabbed from behind he felt satisfaction as he remembered the girl who had died protecting powerless children.

When it was all said and done, the Uchiha all lay dead, and they had lost several of their own. His mother approached him, "That pounding noise, they must be trying to break through the gates. And the Uchiha must be everywhere."

"If the Uchiha are already inside why would they want to open the gates?" Shikamaru looked at his mother's face, shining sweat and blood.

" They want to let someone in, but who would help the Uchiha in this?" Yoshino looked in the direction of the gates.

"What if this isn't the sole act of the Uchiha?" Hearing Atsutane say this Shikamaru swallowed hard after the implications hit him. His stomach felt as if it had ice in it. The only ones that would support the Uchiha doing this was the council because of the rift between them and the clan, and if that was true all of Konoha was set against them.

"Listen, Shikamaru, we haven't much time. You must escape. If Shikaku or you...if Shikaku or you die, the entire Nara command line dies with you. If the Uchiha are inside, they must already be in control of the situation. We must use whatever exit we can." his mother's eyebrow cocked at this in their code _Do you hear me?._

Shikamaru nodded, but grumbled under breath, "I won't leave any of you behind!"

"Then survive and keep your memories of us with you." Yoshino gripped Shikamaru's arm, giving him what he and his father referred to as the look. It brooked no argument. Shikamaru forced a smile and nodded again, giving his mother's hand a squeeze.

Yoshino looked at the remaining clansmen awaiting orders from the recent battle, "Go and help at the front gates." They all nodded save two, who lingered.

"We would prefer to stay and guard your son." Yoshino just nodded toward Atsutane and motioned the man to lead the way with Koin taking up the rear. They all turned back to the library, which was close. One of their guesses was to see if Shikaku had made his command center in it. They entered the library, and there lay many of the seniors. Men and women that had taught the young about the history of their clan, all that knowledge and wisdom gone in an instant.

"Shikaku isn't here, he must be at the gates directing the defense directly." _Please let him be at the gates!_

They took one last look around his family's library to make sure they weren't leaving a wounded Nara behind before his mother gently tugged his shoulder. They all filed out of the library. Shikamaru threw one last look over his shoulder at his former teachers before starting down the ramp towards the front gates.

His mother stopped him halfway down the ramp, "We are getting near the family treasury. The family possessions lie inside. We must take what we can so they don't fall into enemy hands. We have time to get it."

They all turned and made their way to the treasury. The guards with whom he remembered he had played a game of cards a couple of days ago laid on the floor dead, defending the inner chamber. It looked as though some men had tried to open the thick oaken door by force but had given up. He put a drop of his blood on the seal of the door and it opened.

The air in the treasury was still, the big booming sounds of the siege on the gates muffled. There were more stacks of books, some written by his own relatives. Diaries, journals, rare and beloved books handed down from generation to generation of Nara were here along with the most important papers, including a copy of his father's plans of strategy if he ever needed them, birth certificates, marriage certificates and the like.

Sadly only that which was necessary could be taken so the group gathered whatever form of paper currency they could found along with weapons or anything too valuable to leave behind, unceremoniously stuffing it in a bag handed to him.

After collecting all they could in the amount of time they dared to spend in the treasury they went to the gates. As expected the fight was probably the fiercest here, and as they got closer they could see the man they had been searching for all this time. Shikaku and the elite of the Nara were fighting the Uchiha men who were trying to open the gates to what they suspected were the Konoha forces. The booming noise was even louder here and he could only wonder at what they were using in an attempt to break the gates. The group found themselves in the middle of a free for all not having time to think of anything except to stay as far away as possible and dodge anything that came at them whether by purpose or chance.

The room was utter chaos. What seemed to take hours took in reality only a few moments. Shikamaru looked around at the dead bodies littering the hall. He turned when he heard his father talking to a group of clansmen, "Go after those Uchiha. Keep those bastards away as long as you can, no doubt they only retreated to get more reinforcements." He watched him turn toward her and her mother, "You're both alive, good, that means we still have a chance."

Shikamaru grasped his arm; it was apparent his father was still thinking about whatever brilliant strategy he had in his head, but all he wanted was to leave with his parents. "We need to get out of here!"

"The evacuation has already started, I tried to send some men toward you but the Uchiha intercepted them. I need to hold the gates as long as possible. Join the evacuation, and join it quickly!"

Shikamaru looked at his father. He had lost many of his friends,his childhood innocence, his teachers,and his home. He didn't want to lose his father. "Come with us!"

"If I do that, you won't make it out before the gates fall." He looked at his wife, "Please, go. When last I saw the forces outside they were full of Anbu waiting to get in, Konoha will not let us escape easily. The only thing holding them back are the clan seals, and the only way to get past that soon enough to block our escape is through this gate. If there is time we will try to pull back but for now we hold the gates."

Shikaku started to turn away from them and go to the gates. Shikamaru grabbed his arm moving to stand in front of him, "No, you have to come with us!"

He simply looked at him with a funny little pained smile on his lips, his eyes sparkling with something he could not read. "Please, go. Shikamaru...I don't want you to die." Shikaku leaned down and hugged him, his father had never shown much physical contact and before he knew it tears formed in his eyes. Shikaku then spun him around and gave him a gentle, yet firm, nudge on the shoulder towards the door leading out towards the group of people evacuating the compound.

Shikamaru was too stunned to do anything but walk obediently towards the door. His mother gave his father a sad smile, "Make them pay... I love you."

"My heart will always be with the two of you." Shikamaru turned at the door to see Shikaku, his father, moving away and giving orders to those who would stay behind. Fighting to hold back the Uchiha to save what was left of their clan.

Shikamaru turned and walked out of the door leaving his father behind and telling himself that his father would live.

* * *

Shikamaru felt his stomach churning. He wanted to grab his father and drag him with them. He wanted to go back in time and somehow save all those who were dying. He wanted return to that moment that was only days ago and seemed like years, and kill Fugaku in the hall as he stood talking to his father even if it was impossible for a kid like him to kill a clan head.

He felt his stomach threatening to empty itself again, and he was developing a splitting headache. The cuts he had and the burns from barely escaping a couple of Uchiha and their famous fire jutsu in the last fight were starting to be felt as the effects of the adrenaline started to subside. He felt exhausted suddenly, as if the air had become heavy and yet not even an hour had probably gone by since the start of this whole mess. Then he heard the desperate screaming coming from down the corridor straight ahead.

Things were getting much worse, as what seemed like a platoon of Uchiha had manged to get to their evacuation routes and were killing anyone who they could reach. Soon small groups of his own clansmen arrived to try to give the evacuees some time but it was painfully obvious they were outnumbered and soon they too would be cut down.

His mother, Atsutane and Koin kept moving while trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. They passed a young man who was sitting up, shaking his head with a bundle in his arm and a dead woman resting her head on his shoulders. Shikamaru pushed the thought that asked what was in the bundle away, he already doubted that after this he would be able to sleep peacefully for a long time.

As they kept going they got closer to a group that had recently arrived and was watching a close fight going on, Shikamaru managed to overhear a man who had multiple bandages over his body, "We can't hold out much longer, We need to leave while they haven't spotted us."

Then a man who seemed to be the leader spoke in a harsh tone. "Quiet, pick your targets and get ready to go in, we keep the Uchiha occupied for as long as we can, we need to give our people at least a chance to get out of the village."

"We barely survived that last fight ourselves, we have no chance in this one. There's no point in staying ourselves whe-"

"Your family could be the one's we are protecting, these are people who don't have a chance if we leave." With that the man was silenced by his commander.

Eventually the commander of the group noticed Shikamaru's group and walked toward Atsutane "You people don't look badly hurt, keep on moving if you have nothing to do here, there wont be much time until the Uchiha control this place." Atsutane shook his head sadly. "No, I'm sorry but seeing how things are all of you will need to come with us."

At this the man started to shake his head and seemed angry "I'm sorry, but we cant escort every group that goes through here, we don't have enough men, there are patrols like ours going around but honestly there's not much we can do if a force of Uchiha attacks. Your best bet is to run toward the exits and hope your one of the lucky ones."

As Shikamaru's mother stepped forward he could see the recognition come up on the man's face . "I'm sure you have your orders, but I am giving you new ones, the clan heir must survive, and now it's your mission to ensure that."

Shikamaru was conflicted over how he felt, he knew that it was wrong to have these men stop protecting the evacuation and instead protect him, it would mean others would die because of him as evidenced by the earlier argument between the commander and his subordinate, and still a part of him was so scared that it was hoping the man would agree with his mother.

The look on the man's face showed that he too understood what this would mean and for a moment Shikamaru thought he would refuse them. Soon though his face turned into one of resignation, it seemed that that even he believed the clan heir had to be protected, or maybe it was just that he was given an order by a superior.

Shikamaru couldn't help but wish he was not the heir or at least not know that so many sacrifices were being made for him because of who his father was.

"Understood. Stay behind us. If there is fighting, I want all of you to run, and run fast."

Yoshino gave him a tired a nod and said her thanks. Shikamaru glanced at the other two in their group as they nodded their assent. "Let's go. We need to leave. The gates..." Shikamaru had to swallow hard at the thought of the gates bursting open on his father and those with him, "...the gates may not last much longer. We need to move now!" He desperately wanted to find his father alive after all this. Soon they were all running as fast as they could with their tired bodies.

Deep booming noises beating in time like the heart of some giant beast about to devour them all came from where the gate was. All he could think of was his father staying behind.

So far it had been all clear since the fight behind them that they had abandoned was giving them enough time to escape if everything went well, and so they moved forward, encountering other groups similar to theirs trying to escape. They were all going in the same general direction and all he could think about was wondering when the last time was there was such a large number of Nara in one place. He was about to laugh when he noticed cloth covered figures, stained with crimson blossoms, lying in various places around the paths. They hadn't been the first ones to try to escape through here and the reminders were all over the ground. He felt his emotions going haywire, he was just a kid, how was a kid suppose to react to all of this?

Soon his view had gone misty, and he realized when the tears spilled over that he was crying. It seemed ridiculous to him, he saw his tears as an annoyance in the current situation but he still could not stop them.

He felt an arm around his shoulder and when he looked up it was his mother, placing his head on her shoulder and hugging him. She gave him a few moments, all she felt they could spare. "We need to go, we need to leave."

Yoshino wiped his tears from his cheeks and set her face in a resolved expression. Shikamaru nodded, and turning to his new found guards kept following their backs.

Before long a man who he recognized from usually guarding his father appeared and on noticing him and Yoshino stopped to talk to the head of the group and then continued on his way, whatever he said to the man was obviously important as his face turned into one of urgency. After speaking with his own men who then started to change direction he slowed down to Shikamaru and his group to report to Yoshino.

"Bad news, the Anbu have broken through the gates, all of our remaining forces are being overrun, and our exit has been taken over by the Uchiha and the forces stationed around it killed or in disarray so we'll have try to leave through one of the remaining locations that are still being held, they won't be able to hold out much longer if the current situation keeps getting worse, so we have to go as fast as we possibly can."

Things were getting even more desperate if their escape routes were being cut off, it seemed that doors were closing all around them, and the fact that the gates where his father had been were broken though sent worry through his head, and as if he could read his mind the man continued speaking.

"Shikaku has retreated and is holding an exit close to us, since with him and his guard there the exit will most likely be the best protected we'll be heading there."

With that Shikamaru actually started to believe that as bad as things were there might still be a good ending to this mayhem. With his father at the exit all they had to do was get there and his family would be able to escape and somehow be happy.

He knew it was selfish to think that if his mother and father survived everything would be okay with so much suffering that everyone had gone through, but he was a kid, and it was alright if he was selfish from time to time right? All he wanted right now was that at the end of this mess his parents be there and comfort them, if he were completely honest with himself he didn't care what happened to everyone else as long as that happened.

It would take time for them to get to the exit they aimed for, but as long as his father was waiting for them and his mother at his side he couldn't help but feel true hope start to rise in his heart.

* * *

After what seemed like an eternity they had reached their destination, but the fact that the place was as much a battlefield as any other god forsaken place in the compound didn't fill him with the relief he thought he would have had. This time not only was it the Uchiha and Nara fighting each other,but the masked Anbu were there also. The Nara had the advantage primarily because of their numbers, everyone having retreated to places like this and thus their numbers mostly being concentrated at the exits, but soon their last stand would end with the Uchiha also concentrating their forces at the exits and the majority of the Anbu reinforcements that were surely still on their way.

They swiftly made their way to the exit, a small group among a large herd of defenseless civilians and wounded shinobi whose only protection was a thin line of Nara holding the enemy back. Soon they could see a tunnel opening built into the wall that was the only lifeline protecting them from being all out eliminated and which continued on underground. As far back as Shikamaru could think he had never known of anything like this, and to think there had been many more all around his home was something that had never been in his mind.

Had they been here all this time? Or had his father ordered these exits built with the growing hostilities in case something like this had happened? What was probably a more important question was why all of this was happening, all he really knew was that there had been disagreements between the council and his clan, with the Hokage caught in the middle, he never actually knew what the source of the disagreements had been. So many unknowns were in his head and he had no answer other than to survive and ask when this was over.

With questions running through his head he barely noticed that as they got closer their entire group had lost half of its members, he could only hope that they had separated or been forced into a melee rather than have been killed. Then once they reached the entrance of the tunnel he realized that there was a handful of people who were around a person who was not moving at all.

All of a sudden his mother touched his shoulder before heading to the group, he and those they had been with soon followed. The inside was dimly lit by torches laid haphazardly, which in his opinion made the place look even more frightening as the torches flickered on the walls.

What he had thought had been a body that didn't move became a clearly weak body that spoke with a haggard voice. "There you both are, I...was wondering if you had inherited our habitually late carefree style...Yoshino."

Shikamaru and his mother both ran when they saw his father's prone form lying in the shadows. He leaned against the wall, and Shikamaru had a fleeting moment to wonder what was the dark red liquid that stained his body, soon realizing it could only have been his blood.

His mother ran to help him lean on her and sit up, "What has happened? You're bleeding!"

Yoshino soon ripped strips of her clothing and put a stack of the strips on the wound, pressing hard, causing Shikaku to wince and suck in air, ignoring the fact that his father had already been treated and that she was just putting makeshift bandages on top of expertly prepared ones some medic nin had done. Still, he understood why she did it, Shikamaru felt completely useless right now. "They...found out who I was,...got me right in the middle of issuing orders." His voice came in gasps as she placed her hand on his wound. The bandages were already becoming soaked, the blood seeping through. It made his own heart want to stop.

There was a noise behind them, and Shikamaru realized for the first time since seeing his father that they weren't alone, that the clansmen behind them were watching with apprehension and worry evident on their faces. "You..." his father looked at the commander whose name eluded Shikamaru and yet had probably lost more than a couple of men to save a forgetful and uncaring clan heir, "...Kiyomasu." The newly identified Kiyomasu nodded. "Escort my family out of here."

At this his mother replied before his father could even finish his sentence.

"No, they might be your subordinates, but I am your wife, you never could order me away and you won't do it now. I won't follow your order... at the very least not now."

Seeing that Yoshino had made up her mind, Kiyomasu replied "I suggest that I escort Yoshino when she is more compliant, as she is it would be dangerous and time consuming to take her by force."

"Well then, we've come too far to just leave right now. We'll stay as long as you need us." Koin nodded along with what Atsutane had said and they turned to walk to stand with his father's guard who had gone earlier to keep watch. Kiyomasu ordered two of his remaining men to prepare whatever they could find for their journey that would be soon to come. Shikamaru found himself caught between shock, fright, sadness, anger and admiration.

While he tried to deal with his emotions he caught his father looking at him. His eyes told him that his father didn't expect to live beyond today. Again Shikamaru started to feel tears coming out of his eyes, and apparently his mother had the same look

"We need to get you out of here."

"I...I won't survive the evacuation, I'll just slow everyone down, I'm dead weight." He looked at Shikamaru and gave him a small laugh at his own joke.

His father couldn't leave him, not now. "That's not true! You'll be fine dad!" Shikamaru went numb, he refused to believe otherwise.

"Ah, Shikamaru. If only believing in something strongly could make it so." He stroked his hair.

It seemed Yoshino didn't want to believe it either. "Once the council's men have broken through the gate, they will find us. Get your lazy ass ready, we have to go soon."

Shikaku grimaced and grasped the bandages, "Someone...must reach the research facility in our forest...we've reinforced that outpost every week in case this happened... their research and medicinal secrets cannot fall into the hands of our enemies. They should have been able to hold out against the forces sent against them...tell them to go to river country... there isn't a force powerful and interested enough to bother us there."

"You can go there yourself, Father!" Shikamaru brushed a hand across his father's forehead tracing the scar as if to burn it to memory.

"Shikaku, we can get you out of here, get you the best medic ninja we can find!" Shikamaru watched the desperation on his mother's face mirror his own.

"The place is...surrounded. I...wouldn't last long enough anyway." Shikamaru heard footsteps behind them, and they all turned to see Kiyomasu coming toward them.

"I've sent multiple messengers with your orders. Getting past will be...difficult but they are good men, and they will do their duty or die trying. The deer seem to still be able to help our messengers and those assigned to escape through the forest avoid the Uchiha, it seems that council forces have largely left them untouched." With that the man gave a short bow and left.

"Whatever is to be done now, it must be done quickly. They are coming." His mother looked at the entrance to the tunnel, and Shikamaru realized that the fight was still going on with a desperate sound, he had just been tuning it out.

He watched his father's face flash with a look of desperation that surprised him to see any emotion other than that calm calculating look he always found on his father's face. " The two of you must go, it wont be much longer until they get here."

His mother glanced at him, and then turned to Shikaku "I...understand."

Shikamaru's mind was reeling. Here they were with their lives in danger and they were going to leave his father?

Shikaku's dark eyes looked into his own , "You're my first and only son, you have to live."

Shikamaru's breath hitched, "But I'm just a kid, I can't lead our clan, even if you tell me to!"

Shikaku's face held a trace of sympathy, "I've prepared the higher ups in our clan, they'll teach you what I could not, and the rest you'll have to find out on your own. I'm sorry, but your duties takes precedence over age."

Shikamaru narrowed his eyes. _I am not a Clan Head yet, you still have to live. _His father's voice brought him back to the present, no doubt reading his face and his thoughts as he always did. He grasped his arm giving it an affectionate tug, "The council thinks they'll use the chaos to advance themselves. Make them wrong, son. See that justice is done. Our family..." He smiled a sad, loving and desperate smile at him, "...Our family always does our duty first. They must be defeated. Remember that. For your own sake, and for those you'll be leading."

He swallowed around the lump in his throat. He felt as though a giant hand was squeezing his heart to a pulsing bruise, "I will, Father. For you."

He put his hand on his father's hand lying on on the ground, taking it and crossing their fingers, grasping it. He never wanted to let it go, he didn't think he could, "My fierce boy." The smile he gave him shattered his heart.

"Shikaku, are you sure?" Yoshino grasped his face with her hands and looked him in the eyes.

He smiled and then looked back at Shikamaru his eyes on the verge of tears, "Our son will not die of their treachery and my shortcomings. He will live and show his worth."

His mother looked first at Shikaku before turning her gaze to Shikamaru, "Darling, go with the men that are waiting. You have a better chance to escape without me."

"Yosh-" his father gasped and looked at his mother in protest.

"Quiet! With the two of us gone they won't even bother going after Shikamaru, that's even if they think he's still alive with both of us down." His mother grasped his face with her hands and hugged him.

"You can't be serious, how will I survive if I lose both of you!" Shikamaru felt the tears falling, from fear, sadness and anger.

"If my death helps you to live, ill gladly go through it." She smiled at Shikamaru.

"This is crazy! I'll be left alone in this world, what am I going to do without a father and mother!"

"You are going to live, live for the both of us who love you very much."

"I love you both...! I..." Shikamaru choked, nothing would come out. He could only look from one to the other.

"Then live and become a good man and do what's right." Yoshino reached out a hand to her son grasping his empty hand so that they were together, hand to hand, child to parents.

His father's hand convulsed in pain, "I am...sorry it has come to this, I never thought...it would end like this." Shikamaru could feel the tears rolling off of his chin.

He had only a moment to wonder how life would have been if this had never happened before his mother's voice drew his attention, "We've had a better life than most. It's your tun to live now Shikamaru."

There was a heavy crashing sound mixed with explosions and the voices of many men shouting all at once. The sound caused Kiyomasu to come running, having seemingly been waiting close by and he grasped his shoulder like a vice, "We must go now! They are coming!" Shikamaru could hear the shouting getting louder. Kiyomasu's hand tightened even more on his shoulder heaving him to his feet and practically dragging him with him. Atsutane and Koin were right behind them.

He started to yank his shoulder from his grasp and but stooped when he heard his father. "Go, Shikamaru, live and do what I could not, and most of all, know that we love you." His father gave him a wide grin.

Kiyomasu's strong hand grabbed him by the upper arm this time, his long fingers wrapping themselves completely around. "Now, Shikamaru! We must go!" He yanked Shikamaru backwards once more to the depths of the tunnel.

The last thing he remembered before exhaustion took over and darkness overcame him was the sight of his mother and father sitting down next to each other, waiting for their deaths with small smiles on their faces.

* * *

**A/N**

This all happens when the uchiha massacre was suppose to happen in case anyone is wondering.

Ill try to keep the OC's to a minimum but there aren't a lot of noticeable naras so ill try to introduce canon characters when I can. This is my first story so I don't have much experience, therefore any suggestions or criticisms are welcome. All questions will be answered whether by reviews or private messages.

If you enjoyed the story please review, until later.

**12/3/12** Fixed some stuff


	2. Planning

**_"If an injury has to be done to a man, it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared."_ **

* * *

"Shikamaru! Wake up, its just a dream!"

He jerked up as if a thousand volts of electricity had just passed through his body. The world was bright, white. 'Where was he?' he thought as he shook his head. The last thing he remembered was watching his family left behind, smiles on their faces while tears were running down his. He remembered...death.

Atsutane had been standing over him shaking his shoulders, whispering "It's just a nightmare Shikamaru, it's all in the past remember?"

Didn't he know that 'just a nightmare' was exactly what he wished had happened all those years ago? The dreams had been plaguing him all this time, slowly they had been diminishing, but they still came back and when they did the images were so real that he felt like a scared little kid all over again.

"I'm fine-" his voice cracked, making him pause before trying again , "I'm fine, just another dream." Shikamaru started to get up, looking around the room so that he could ready himself for the duties of the day.

"It's obvious it was another dream, and it's obvious which one it is, things might be getting better, but you should really let the medics take a look at you."

Shikamaru started to get his clothes ready and headed toward the bathroom, "I know your concerned, but I'm not injured, and they wouldn't be able to help me anyway, let's just get on with it."

"You know, it wouldn't hurt to try and see if they find anything."

"No, thank you but my mind is made up, there are more important things to worry about than a bad dream."

With a sigh Atsutane started to leave the room, "Fine, but if I can hear you from where I was, those dreams aren't normal, they're affecting you Shikamaru. The council is getting prepared, they'll be waiting for you."

Atsutane closed the door leaving Shikamaru alone in the room looking at himself in the mirror. As far as human minds went, Shikamaru considered his own at least a little messed up, but if all he really ended up with after that massacre was restless nights, he was fine with a couple of nightmares, others had lost a lot more than that. Soon his mind kicked off his old morning routine action and he levered himself off of the sink, bare feet walking across the cool floor and standing on his own legs with some effort. For some reason the dream seemed to tire him a bit in the morning, or maybe it was just his usual personality at work.

For the next half hour he didn't think, he just acted. The clothing wasn't perfect, it was too stuffing for his tastes, but it was better than being naked in front of the council. Soon he started to leave his home, each room was currently empty, some would be occasionally occupied by a guard or two, but it was generally a peaceful place for which he was thankful for.

As he left the building he took the opportunity to look around and took in the sights. What they had could basically be called a small town in the Land of Rivers. There wasn't anything especially remarkable about the place other than the fact there was a clan of ninja living among civilians. When they had come the villagers that had already been living here naturally became concerned, but soon negotiations began and ended, ninja were a great deterrent for bandits and the fact that wherever a ninja group settled money flowed in also helped things go smoothly. Some villagers had decided to leave but many more had come in the hopes that, economically their lives would be improved.

As for their neighbors the Village Hidden in Valleys, Tanigakure, had no where near the power of any of the five great shinobi villages and they reportedly have had many problems within their own power structure. The country had no real power, being between Wind and Fire countries and instead being more of a barrier between the two. Any build up of forces in the region would only escalate hostilities between the two great countries and so the country was greatly demilitarized.

Tanigakure suffered from the fact that their numbers were few and experience was low compared with more militarized villages, and as a consequence usually only received missions from their own country if at all. Even then, the missions were usually that of escorting caravans and dealing with bandits. More important missions were usually given to more famous villages, primarily Konoha or if funds were not enough then Sunagakure as they were the closest. The Nara were able to settle in an already existing settlement without much interference, and had managed to start getting missions of its own when their skill started to be known by the surrounding villages and towns.

That fact had lead to a couple of unpleasant run ins with leaf ninja on missions in the Land of Rivers, they had managed to escape the massacre, but many of their own had been left behind that night and that didn't lead to pleasant relations. Shikaku had chosen the Land of Rivers as their place of escape because of it's unique position, with both Suna and Konoha unofficially considering it a barrier country, so if Konoha sent a force that eliminated a force in the Land of Rivers, Suna would become highly suspicious to the point of preparing for war.

So far it seemed Konoha was content to just leave the Nara remnants alone, believing them to be too few to present a real threat, and the risk of agitating Suna too great. There were murmurings that the Third Hokage had a hand with that decision, actually being the main proponent with leaving the Nara alone. The council would have probably sent a force regardless of any political or military backlash were it not for the Sarutobi.

Even though the Hokage, supported by those that had sided with the Nara so long ago had shown mercy, Shikamaru truly doubted that even the Hokage and his supporters would have been able to stand in the way of the council even if they wanted, were they to know that the heir was alive. As far as the Land of Fire was concerned, Shikamaru Nara had died alongside his parents in what they called the Nara Incident, with the clan in question doing everything they could to reinforce that belief.

As he neared the building of the council Shikamaru sighed. The daily doings that went inside were important, but he just wished that they could do it without him. Technically he was their leader, but in reality he was as much their leader as they were his. He had learned how to deal with the little politics a close knit clan would need, he had learned tactics and strategy from his late father and more recent teachers, and he knew the basics of economy enough so that everyone didn't starve to death. Honestly the money they had saved that night along with the profits from their medical research supplemented with the deer they had managed to bring helped them stay afloat more than once. The settlement that they now inhabited was akin to more of a small city than a village, with taxes and shinobi missions beginning to steadily increase income for the clan.

All of this was easy to him, being taught the foundation from his father so long ago and the council refining his knowledge to perfection.

The part where he became nervous, where he didn't know where to go and dared not speak of anything to anyone, was the main objective each surviving Nara now had in their hearts from the most elderly who lost their children and grandchildren to the youngest who lost their parents.

Shikamaru knew nothing of how to get the revenge each of his clansmen so desperately wanted.

As far as he could see any revenge was impossible, Konoha was simply too powerful for them to do any serious harm too, and any other harm by any other means would be so petty as to not even compare to the tragedy of the clan massacre. Sometimes he wished he could just give this problem to the council and let them think over it, while he went to a hill and just stared at the clouds. Shikamaru hadn't been able to do those kinds of things in a long time.

Every time he thought about just giving up on his duties the form of his father would appear in his mind and he knew he couldn't just run away from what had to be done by him. The clan was already starting to get restless, it had been four years since that day and while they have been training and preparing, no solid plan has been proposed other than to keep training and preparing. If Shikamaru didn't think of a plan soon, a plan would be forced upon him, a plan that most likely would mean more Nara casualties.

Shaking his head Shikamaru entered the building, and upon being greeted took his seat on the council. If he was completely honest with himself the whole ordeal wasn't that bad. Any situation that came up which required their deliberation was usually nothing extraordinary. They mostly dealt with trade agreements along with the relations between the civilians of the village and the clan.

The most difficult issue that had come up was the fact that Tanigakure had not been pleased with what in their eyes was a clan of rogue ninja stealing much of its shinobi related income. The topic was still a sore spot between those involved, yet his belief along with most of the council was that Tanigakure was simply too weak and inexperienced to do anything about and thus the Nara had taken a stance of passive ignorance while always maintaining a close eye on Tanigakure.

The council usually gave a sound suggestion with which he gave gave the final word and order, and although Shikamaru was officially the head of the clan he would never deceive himself with the fact that everyone would follow him without question. Shikamaru had barely entered his teen years and it was no surprise he would need the support of the council to completely convince everyone when he made his decisions. He seriously doubted anyone from the clan would go against his decisions with any wrong intentions, but the idea that he was a child that had to be looked over in case he made a mistake still resided in many.

So far their little home away from home had thrived reasonably, which sometimes made Shikamaru wonder if perhaps they should just stay like this forever. However, whenever that thought entered his mind the image of the battlefield that was his home came up and pushed away any, such idea an example being now, as he returned to the current discussion.

"As far as we can tell from the report, surveillance of our land has been made, likely by ninja other than Konoha or Tanigakure, late last night. So far it seems they have restricted themselves to visual information, by the time our sentries noticed their presence it seemed they had gotten what they needed and left immediately, managing to elude all pursuit."

He bowed his head, a deep sigh echoing in his chest, it seemed that today wouldn't be one of the easy days.

One of the more elderly men sitting near the middle of the hall frowned, fingers crossed in front of him. "According to the report they were a group of four, this make it suspicious as a scouting action when only one or two would have sufficed, perhaps they were looking for something they did not find and intended to take it by force."

Shikamaru looked up, joining the conversation. "They would have to be very skilled if only four of them expected to carry out their mission by force."

"We have experts reviewing the data provided to us by the sentries. If there is an imminent threat it will be dealt with accordingly," a second council member added. A woman, probably a few years younger than his mother with fading black hair. The massacre had elevated many of their people to higher positions in order to fill up spots that had been left empty and the council had been no exception. The words tumbled so easily from her lips, speaking of years of politics and prepared statements, she had been most likely serving under a councilman for some time. "This doesn't change the fact that four unidentified ninja entered our lands undetected, a direct risk of our safety."

A third member of the council nodded. "Another, equally disturbing thing in these reports is the fact we do not know where they come from. Their headbands may as well have been blank for all the information we've received from their musical note symbol. All that we currently know is that they probably come from a new hidden village to the north of Konoha."

All of a sudden, as if waiting for them to finish a tortured scream of rending metal overloaded his senses, the world around him lurching with such force that he had to apply chakra to his feet lest he fall down. He was dazed for a moment and he could hear someone shouting.

"Guards! Report! What the hell is going on?"

"Oh, they're a bit indisposed right about now, don't worry though, they'll wake up in a couple of hours."

His body moved immediately, turning to face the center of the hall where five people now stood. Four of them stood in a square surrounding the fifth in a defensive posture and when he looked at the man standing in the middle of them he could feel a knot tighten in his chest.

An extremely pale-skinned human with waist-length black hair stood looking straight into his eyes. His own eyes were amber with slits in his pupils and purple markings around his eyes making him look snake-like nature. Similar to the others he was with he wore plain grey garbs with black pants and a thick purple rope belt tied in a large knot behind his back.

Orochimaru, recognized as one of the most powerful ninja Konoha had ever produced and one of the Three Sannin, stood before him. A man who defected from the village in pursuit of his own ambitions. A ridiculously powerful person whom many would call twisted from a desire of immortality was standing in front of _him_ look at _him_ in the _eyes_.

A cold sweat came over Shikamaru even as countless Nara shinobi began arriving and surrounded Orochimaru and his guards. Orochimaru was known throughout Konoha and many other places for his renown as a ninja, if he wanted to kill Shikamaru he probably wouldn't need to waste much effort even with so many of his men here.

"Well, already shocked beyond words are we child?"

Voices, full of uncertainty and fear, echoed throughout the room. Everyone was asking questions that no one had answers to. No one except Orochimaru.

Sitting on that same seat with which he had approached earlier in the day with boredom, Shikamaru collected himself and spoke. The carefree attitude he had been known for disappeared, replaced with what he hoped was a calm face to hide the intense nervousness he felt.

"Orochimaru. We lost contact with some shinobi that had intruded late last night... attempts to capture them failed, I presume they were yours."

"A little bird told me that the Nara clan was hiding a little secret, and it seems Kabuto was correct. I must admit, I was slightly suspicious that what he told me was true, who would have thought that Shikamaru Nara was still in this world?" Orochimaru asked.

"You don't know me, who can say that I am that person?"

"You know exactly that what I speak is the truth," Orochimaru said. "You look just like your father."

Panic and confusion, if Orochimaru knew his secret things were bad, if Konoha were to find out also, there was no questions they would send a force immediately. Four years to prepare and it almost seemed as if he had never done anything. A dozen voices, ranking officers to council members all speaking at once immediately put the room into a dull roar. Finally Shikamaru slammed a kunai hilt first down on the desk, snapping everyone's attention to him. His face was ashen but he did everything he could to maintain his composure.

"It seems the child is finally ready to start the discussion."

The surrounding Nara shinobi looked at him for a moment before backing off slightly and taking up positions were anything to go wrong. Shikamaru recognized Koin and Atsutane as they moved to his sides. With the small sense of security that came with them no matter how useless in reality it was, he felt more calm than before. He could see Kiyomasu, who had become one of the leading commanders of the Nara, speaking with the others, planning from the look of it, but he couldn't make out what was being said. Everywhere around them people watched on nervously. There was a palpable aura of fear in the room.

Monsters were real, and now everyone was looking at one.

"Come now, is this anyway to treat a visitor? I always thought the Nara were more hospitable than this."

Shikamaru was starting to get sick of all this. "What do you want Orochimaru? I doubt you came all this way just to check out a rumor."

"Ah, but in a way, that really was the reason I came to visit you from so far way." Orochimaru said, the man's voice dripping with a sickening sort of excitement.

Before the massacre occurred he might have been hesitant to be rude in a conversation with one of the most powerful shinobi in the world. But death had a way of changing your perspective.

"Let's just skip all the formalities, What are you here for Orochimaru?" Shikamaru said loudly before the conversation could continue. "Wherever you go bad things usually follow."

The man continued behaving as he was, but his amber eyes had gotten serious when he began to speak. "Shikamaru, my dear boy. Your survival was unexpected, and because of that I am afraid that each of us faces a similar situation. Even now the... illustrious Anbu of Konoha still observe you and your clan. They will eventually find out about you and then this pretty little place will fall into flames."

Orochimaru continued before he could offer anything to the contrary.

"Friends, we have a common enemy, together we can defeat Konoha. Alone we are targets waiting to be picked over at their leisure."

"And so we should just do whatever you ask of us?" an elderly man asked incredulously.

"Enough!"

To Shikamaru's surprise it was himself, that spoke up. The allure of a way too get back at Konoha was great, even if he had to listen to one of the most traitorous people in existence.

"Assuming we even did what you asked and united our forces... do you really believe we can defeat Konoha? We've all seen their numbers with our own eyes. Even were they to send a fraction of their forces we would stand no chance."

"Do not insult my intelligence boy, I did not come here without a plan." Orochimaru snarled, for once seemingly irritated.

Stepping forward the man slowly activated a sealing scroll, creating a map that hung in the open space letting everyone observe what was happening.

"This is beginning of that plan. You will see that here," At his words a purple light flickered at a section north of Konoha. "Is Otogakure. I have established this village for one purpose, to raise the troops necessary for an invasion of Konoha."

Shikamaru studied the image carefully. "Even if you've made your own personal village, do you expect us to believe your newly created village has enough men to take over an established Konoha?"

Orochimaru sighed "So it would seem that someone doesn't like letting other people finish." A yellow light then hovered over Suna. "We will also be joined by Suna in the invasion, with our combined numbers, Konoha will be burned to the ground."

"Do you expect us to believe that Suna will join you?!" exclaimed the lady from before.

"Sunagakure has for years suffered a series of budget cuts by the daimyo of the Land of Wind, weakening the village and thus re-routing ninja missions to Konoha, with Konoha eliminated Suna will get new missions to reinvigorate their economy. Their reasons for joining is disgustingly straightforward, I find no interest in petty money." Orochimaru said, gesturing to the image. "But that is not my business, you'll see soon enough Suna forces moving through these lands to head for Konoha."

Shikamaru shook his head. "Even if you join forces Konoha won't be so easily defeated. The scale... it is considerable, but it means nothing if your strategy is simple."

"Nothing in this world is simple my dear child, and I would be happy to give you all the details. But only if we work together," Orochimaru finished with a feral smile.

Orochimaru leaned forward, still fixed on him. "An impressive idea so far no? But the question remains, will you join us young one?"

"This plan will work, I'll be there personally. Everything is set in place, but it never hurts to have more soldiers, and I always thought the Nara wouldn't be ones to forget what happened to them in that massacre." he said, returning the stare that so many were giving him before turning his eyes back to Shikamaru. "Either we stop them now or they will finish the job they started all those years ago once they discover your secret and wipe out every single Nara, just like they've done to your parents."

There was a moment of silence as the councilors looked at each other before they nodded once. It was Ensui that finally spoke, always the voice of the group.

"The cruel and unfortunate truth, Shikamaru, is that this is the best chance we have at taking Konoha down, this is the moment we have all waited for and so it is our advice that we prepare for war."

"You have heard our council Shikamaru," Ensui added. "the final decision is yours."

He looked at them incredulously for a few long moments before giving a bitter laugh. It seemed this was how downtrodden the Nara had become, having to accept help from a traitor like Orochimaru, although he supposed almost everyone in Konoha believed the Nara themselves to be traitors.

Orochimaru was indeed a genius in his own right, he had basically given Shikamaru a wrapped up present in front of all the Nara with a way to destroy Konoha. Forgetting for a moment the large likelihood of Orochimaru using the Nara as nothing more but disposable shock troops, even if Shikamaru wanted to reject the idea it would mean the destruction of order in the clan. Many would join Orochimaru no matter what he did and so in the end he would have to either lead a united clan against Konoha with cutthroat allies or rule over what remained of a weakened and divided clan.

He supposed that it didn't matter what he did, his parents were not coming back, and because of that he thought that it would be a beautiful sight to watch Konoha burn, no matter the consequences.

"Then the Nara clan prepares for war."

With that he turned and walked away, not even waiting for a response. He just saw red. For the first time since the clan massacre itself did he feel lost. No matter how he looked now Orochimaru had outsmarted him, because Shikamaru had never been able to come up with a concrete plan it had left the snake sanin an opening with which to manipulate his father's legacy. His mother had told him to be a good person, but how could he when he had failed to successfully lead his own clan, and was now colluding with one of the most heartless bastards in the destruction of an entire country?

As he walked away four men of his clan walked towards him with one of the guards that Orochimaru had arrived with in their midst. The guard was the female of the group, with long, untamed red hair and a black hat, her clothing the same as the others in her group.

"Sir, she says she has a message from Orochimaru."

"Yeah, Orochimaru wants to talk to you about the plans for the invasion before he leaves so hurry up, don't keep him waiting, kid. Had you been a nobody he would have skewered you by now for walking away from him."

This girl was barely a couple of years older than him and yet she called him a kid? "Kid? How exactly were you the one chosen to be diplomat?"

"Look, I'm a _Kunoichi_ , not some trash politician, and this is me being polite so hurry your ass up, its not good to keep Orochimaru waiting."

With that she began walking, and ordering the four Nara to accompany him, Shikamaru followed her.

They soon returned to the meeting hall and entered one of the larger untouched rooms. Orochimaru was by himself, having seemingly sent off everyone but the red headed girl. It was a peculiar sight, seeing such a pale man surrounded by so many Nara who were still more than a little nervous.

With a smile the man started moving towards him. "Ah, nice to see you again Shikamaru-kun, it hurt me so very much when you just left, I thought we were having such a wonderful discussion."

Shikamaru really hated the way Orochimaru acted. "Just tell me what you need to tell me so we can end this as soon as possible."

"Take things slowly Shikamaru, every adventure requires a first step. Trite, but true, even here."

"Get on with it please."

"Fine, the attack will occur during the chunin exams, be prepared by then. The battle will be fought on two fronts. During the final rounds of the chunin exams themselves Suna's jinchuriki will release the one tailed Shukaku from the center of the village."

With that Shikamaru's eyes opened wider than usual. "A jinchuriki?"

"Yes, I'd imagine the Nara have taught them to you, they cage in enormous amounts of power."

Shikamaru nodded but then thought of one of his friends from so long ago, Naruto. "Konoha has their own tailed beast, the Nine-Tails, if they release it then..."

Orochimaru laughed "They destroy their own village, two beings of such power would destroy everything in their midst, and isn't that exactly what all of us want my dear child?"

"Along with all the other forces we manage to smuggle in Shukaku will occupy Konoha's forces while the rest of our own forces break through the walls of the village. From there Konoha will be destroyed and I will take care of the Hokage personally."

"Fine, we'll be ready in time to join the invasion."

Orochimaru's eyes started to shine. "Of course, the chunin exams will occur in a couple of months, once Suna passes through these lands on their way to Konoha you will join them, by then they should be informed of you."

"Understood, is that all?"

"All that has needed to be said has been, once Suna joins us all the smaller plans shall be discussed. Tayuya here will stay behind and keep in contact with me about the situation."

"How will she do that?"

"Oh we have a very special connection, all my chosen ones do. Until later, little Shikamaru."

Orochimaru stood and walked out of the room, with clansmen escorting him out. Those that remained relaxed slightly, but soon turned their attention to Tayuya. They now had someone who was basically a spy in their village and they could do nothing about it. Having become tired Shikamaru simply ordered the closest Nara to get her some accommodations and walked home with a couple of guards. Now that their defenses had been thoroughly penetrated there was little room for surprises, and he knew he would have to appoint a full detail on the girl, any follower of Orochimaru would be dangerous if left unwatched.

As he lay in his bed about to sleep images of Ino and Chouji ran through his head, he hadn't seen them in what left like a lifetime and soon he would probably cause them horrors he himself still hadn't been able to get past. Shikamaru doubted that he would evade the nightmares tonight.

* * *

**A/N**

Hopefully this wasn't too obvious of a way for Shikamaru to get his revenge, hope you guys like the plot.

Reviews

justforfun123- I think this got the story moving, and hopefully you enjoyed the direction this is taking.

wolfeclipse25- Really wished shikaku could have lived, but I felt their deaths were needed to help drive shikamaru.

Guest- It was always my opinion that the only reason so many uchiha were killed so fast and without any of them putting up much of a fight was because **(spoilers)** madara/tobi? **(spoilers) **was the main guy who did most of the killing, and the nara don't have a guy like that who can or wants to kill all of them. Also shikaku already suspected something was going on so they were semi prepared for what happened. I did for some reason completely forget the fact that the Uchiha had sharingans, really feel dumb because of that.

**12/5/12 **Fixed some more stuff


End file.
